SSWH7 The student will analyze European medieval society with regard to culture, politics, society, and economics.
a. Explain the manorial system and feudalism; include the status of peasants and feudal monarchies and the importance of Charlemagne. b. Describe the political impact of Christianity; include Pope Gregory VII and King Henry IV of Germany (Holy Roman Emperor).
c. Explain the role of the church in medieval society.
d. Describe how increasing trade led to the growth of towns and cities.
SSWH5 The student will trace the origins and expansion of the Islamic World between 600 CE and 1300 CE.
e. Describe the impact of the Crusades on both the Islamic World and Europe
SSWH9 The student will analyze change and continuity in the Renaissance and Reformation
a. Explain the social, economic, and political changes that contributed to the rise of Florence and the ideas of Machiavelli.
b. Identify artistic and scientific achievements of Leonardo da Vinci, the “Renaissance man,” and Michelangelo.
c. Explain the main characteristics of humanism; include the ideas of Petrarch, Dante, and Erasmus.
d. Analyze the impact of the Protestant Reformation; include the ideas of Martin Luther and John Calvin.
e. Describe the Counter Reformation at the Council of Trent and the role of the Jesuits.
f. Describe the English Reformation and the role of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.
g. Explain the importance of Gutenberg and the invention of the printing press.
Describe the major economic, social, and political developments that took place in medieval Europe.
Painting of the Middle Ages
Painting of the Middle Ages
A. the growing influence of Christianity and the Catholic Church B. the differing orders of medieval society, the development of feudalism, and the development of private property as a distinguishing feature of western civilization C. the initial emergence of a modern economy, including the growth of banking, technological and agricultural improvements, commerce, towns, and a merchant class D. the economic and social effects of the spread of the Black Death or Bubonic Plague E. the growth and development of the English and French nations
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What Was It Really Like to Live in the Middle Ages?from Annenberg Media Learner.org. When many people think of the Middle Ages, they think of knights, castles, and kings. But life in the Middle Ages was harsh, uncertain, and often times dangerous.
Learning Centers start to pop up over most of Europe. Their main concern was to educate about Christianity. "The focus of activity was first and foremost on the preservation of Christian learning; namely, the study of the scriptures, theology, and canon law." For more on thelearningcenters check out this link.http://mappinghistory.uoregon.edu/english/EU/EU12-00.html
Focus Question: How did the growing influence of Christianity and the Catholic Church affect medieval society?
Catholicism was the only Christian religion in Europe during the Middle Ages and it dominated much of the political, social, and economic aspects of everyday life. The Catholic Church was extremely influential during this time; bishops were often more powerful than members of the royal family and even commonly served on the king's court.
Common priests who presided over small areas had significant power over the peasants in the town; they required that each family tithed ten percent of their crops to the Church no matter how destitute the giver was. The Church also sold indulgences, a controversial practice that claimed that by paying extra money, a Catholic could reduce his time in purgatory and help atone for some of his sins.
If someone dared to disagree with the Church, they were accused of being a heretic and were put to death.
The Catholic Church was powerful during the Middle Ages due to its mass amounts of followers, its huge accumulation of wealth, and the support it received from European leaders. This power trickled down to people of all economic standings and affected every person's daily life.
In the high middle ages, women became more active in the church as nuns. Women who were aristocratic and did not wish to marry and women who's families did not find them husbands usually ended up in the church.
Feudal societies were founded mainly because most kings were not wealthy enough to provide a standing army for their country. The barons, therefore, became providers of soldiers for the king.
Many governed their land as if it were a separate entity from the king's state.
Bishops were oftentimes as powerful or more powerful than the barons. They received the majority of their wealth from collecting tithes from members of the Church.
Lords served under the barons and were actually trained knights who overlooked large estates and had several families of peasants working underneath him.
The peasants who worked for the lord were the least powerful of the people in the feudal society and were responsible for farming on the lord's manor. Peasants provided food for all people living on the estate, and in return for their work were allowed to use the land to harvest small amounts of agriculture for their own personal use.
Chaucer and the Canterbury Tales
The clerk, one of the pilgrims in Chaucer's Canterbury tales.
The clerk, one of the pilgrims in Chaucer's Canterbury tales.
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The Canterbury Talesprovides a way to teach students about the different classes and social structure of feudal society.
Click here to learn more about Dante. The website contains a an Italian version and two English translations of Dante's Divine Comedy.
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The World of Dante is a multimedia research tool intended to enhance the study of the Divine Comedy. The site includes interactive maps, diagrams, music, a database, timeline, and a gallery of illustrations.
Focus Question: How did feudalism develop and what is the concept of private property?
Medieval plowing with oxen (from a 14th century manuscript)
Medieval plowing with oxen (from a 14th century manuscript)
Feudalism began on a small scale. Poor farmers worked underneath larger landowners in order to ensure their own personal safety.
Later, kings began to rely on the feudal system in order to sustain their countries.
It became increasingly difficult physically and economically for the kings to control their lands, so they began outsourcing various portions of their land to barons and lords to control.
The barons and lords had military responsibilities to the king and had to be available to enter into a war at any particular moment. Feudalism depended on a farming society and declined when trade and the use of money became the norm.
Many contemporary historians now reject the term feudalism in favor of manoralism. For more on this view, go theInternet Medieval Sourcebook.
Focus Question: How did a modern economy emerge, with the growth of banking, technological and agricultural improvements, commerce, towns, and a merchant class?
Growth of banking
Sigismund's half guldiners and full guldiners of 1846 are regarded as the bridge between medieval and modern coinage.
Sigismund's half guldiners and full guldiners of 1846 are regarded as the bridge between medieval and modern coinage.
Banks that resemble the institutions we use today were initially founded in Italy in the thirteenth century.
The Catholic Church (which was a major influence on the economic and social structure of the day) was strongly opposed to the idea of banking because it disagreed with the idea that banks could gain interest on loans, also known as usury. People began to utilize banks nonetheless, especially after the Bubonic Plague, which resulted in a decrease of general faith in the Church.
After banks arrived in Europe, currency became centralized and stabilized and loans and credit checks were established in a manner quite similar to today's methods.
Technological/agricultural improvements
external image 800px-Medieval_horse_team.jpg
Technology spurred much change for Europeans in the Middle Ages.
The plow's design was improved upon, resulting in increased agricultural success.
The horse harness and the Whippletree also greatly increased productivity for medieval farmers.
Although clocks were invented in China in the eighth century AD, Europeans (particularly Italians) began installing more modern versions of the clock in town centers to improve time accuracy for people of all economic classes.
Textile production and architecture also saw massive improvements during this revolutionary time.
Towns
external image Rondel_dagger_merchants.jpg
The emergence of towns in medieval Europe were directly related to the changes that the region was going through at the time. Lords began attempting to make their lands more desirable places to live and formed towns in order to attract wealthy merchants who would be able to pay higher taxes.
As the taxes rose, illiterate peasants banded together to ensure that they wouldn't be cheated out of their money due to their lack of education.
Charters were then established in order to reduce corruption and provide some legal assistance for the peasants.
Commerce and the merchant class
Medieval Merchant's House
Medieval Merchant's House
The arrival of the merchant class in European medieval society disrupted the previous social structure that dominated the region. Prior to the increase in commerce and the importance of trade, Europe had been run as a feudal society.
When merchants began accumulating wealth through trade, they were looked at with disdain by the nobility, knights, and clergy that had previously held the majority of the wealth in society.
Merchants eventually gained some respect from those groups but were always looked at with contempt for their pursuit of monetary wealth.
Merchants became the first class of people besides the clergy to receive an education in order to become experts at handling and recording money, charting maps, and writing detailed accounts of their journeys.
Focus Question: What were the economic and social effects of the spread of the Black Death or Bubonic Plague?
Click on the Interactive Map to see the growing spread of the Bubonic Plague
The Spread of the Bubonic Plague
The Spread of the Bubonic Plague
The aftermath of the Black Death left Europe's economy and social structure in an uproar.
The plague made its first appearance in Europe in the fourteenth century, but did not disappear until the 1600s.
Within the first five years of the outbreak, 25 million people (1/3 of Europe's population) died. By 1352, the death toll was at a hefty 50 million people.
Families turned against each other and abandoned their own children in a vain attempt to avoid becoming ill themselves.
Europe was left with a severe labor shortage leading to demands for higher pay for peasants from their landlords. When these demands were refused, peasant revolts, such as the English Peasant Revolt, broke out across the region.
Faith in the previously all-powerful Catholic Church also dwindled as followers wondered why priests had failed to cure their loved ones from the disease as they had advertised.
War, famine, poverty, and disease continued to riddle the majority of Europe (most notably England, Scotland, France, and Italy) for well over a century causing civilians to lose faith in the infrastructure that had governed their lives for centuries.
In the article, "Black Death: The Disease", Dr. Mike Ibeji examines the various origins, variations, and protections against the Black Death.
Dr. Mike Ibeji explores the plague's devastating impact on the rural communities.
Dr. Tom James analyzes the lasting impact of the Black Death. The effects were devastating and reached into all spheres of life including agriculture, religion, econoimics, and social class.
The Paston family rose from the peasantry to the aristocracy within just two generations. Their tell letters the story of howthey survived the Black Death and were able to use the social upheval and turmoil of the time period to move up the rungs on the social ladder.
Focus Question: How did the English and French nations grow and develop?
England went through a period of great instability throughout the Middle Ages. While some rulers were able to maintain their power effectively, the majority of kings were no match against the feudal system that governed the region. It seemed that just as one king successfully gained power for the monarchy, his successor failed miserably.
The Battle of Hastings in 1066 led to William's takeover of what we know now as modern day Great Britain and much of modern-day France. King William surveyed the land and used his findings to make a population count and was then able to collect taxes more accurately.
Our use of the modern-day English language can be attributed to this Norman takeover of Great Britain.
The country continued to stabilize for about a century until the reign of King Stephen, under which the feudal system became the most powerful form of government.
In 1153, King Henry II became ruler of Britain and attempted to move the country away from feudalism and incorporate some sort of legislation. His attempts at further stabilization were rather futile since several of his successors were extremely unsuccessful at ending feudalism and removing England from wars.
King John suffered many losses during the Crusades, including much of England's French territory, such as Normandy. Due to his failures in the Crusades, the Catholic Church pressured the king to sign the Magna Cartain 1215 which limited his powers as a ruler.
After another half-century of instability, King Edward reigned from 1272-1307 and restrengthened the English government by gaining more power back for himself and also by creating the English Parliament.
The Bubonic Plague initially broke out in 1349, causing millions of European deaths. It also created further economic instability in both France and England as well as most of Europe. The progress these economic powers had made was largely halted by the Black Death and took time to regain.
The Hundred Years' War began in 1337 when the line of Capet Kings in France ended without producing a male heir. Therefore, a French noble was selected as Philip VI instead of the English King Edward III, whose mother was the daughter of Philip IV. The succession debate just added onto the already existing dispute regarding lands in France to which English kings had claim. The war ended in 1453, but did not end with any form of peace signing. The fighting had simply stopped but the tension still existed.
VII and his son, Louis XI, were able to create more legal stability in France following the Hundred Years' War. They did this through the creation of law courts known as parlements. This, along with the creation of a standing army, were very important in restoring order to a France that hoped to strengthen itself and pick up the pieces from a long and costly war with England.
In 1422, King Henry VI's inability to rule effectively led to the Wars of the Roses , in which several civil wars broke out throughout the region. These were mainly between feuding lords and caused further breakdown of the British monarchy.
Click here to learn more on the making of modern Britain.
Click here to gain more information on the beginnings of the French Nation.
King John of England signing the Magna Carta
King John of England signing the Magna Carta
Women of The Medieval Ages
Women of the Medieval ages were largely confined to household tasks such as cooking, baking bread, sewing, weaving, and spinning. However, they also hunted for food and fought in battles, learning to use weapons to defend their homes and castles.
Some medieval women held other occupations. There were women blacksmiths, merchants, and apothecaries, midwives. Others worked in the fields, or were engaged in creative endeavors such as writing, playing musical instruments, dancing, and painting.
Some women were known as witches, capable of sorcery and healing. Others became nuns and devoted their lives to God and spiritual matters. Famous women of the middle ages include the writes Christine de Pisan, the abbess and musician Hildegard of Bingen the patron of the arts Elanor of Aquitaine, and a french peasant's daughter, Joan of Arc, or St. Joan
Joan of Arc, had only two years in the public eye, but is perhaps the best-known woman of the Middle Ages. Joan of Arc heard voices telling her to protect France against the English invasion. She dressed in armor and led her troops to victory in the early fifteenth century. "The Maid of Orleans" as she was known, was captured and burned at the stake at 19 years of age. Joan of Arc would eventually go on to be canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic church.
Click here for excellent primary sources of women living in medieval Europe.
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Beowulf in Hypertext provides Old English and Modern English verisons of the famous poem, with notes for readers.
Works Cited:
"France, England, and Scandinavia" Western Civilization: The Continuing Experiment; Volume B 1300-1850 Noble Strauss et. al. Houghton Mifflin Company; Boston, 2005.
"England, France and the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453)" Western Civilization: The Continuing Experiment; Volume B 1300-1850 Noble Strauss et. al. Houghton Mifflin Company; Boston, 2005.
Emergence of Modern Europe Unit 5
SSWH7 The student will analyze European medieval society with regard to culture, politics, society, and economics.
a. Explain the manorial system and feudalism; include the status of peasants and feudal monarchies and the importance of Charlemagne. b. Describe the political impact of Christianity; include Pope Gregory VII and King Henry IV of Germany (Holy Roman Emperor).
c. Explain the role of the church in medieval society.
d. Describe how increasing trade led to the growth of towns and cities.
SSWH5 The student will trace the origins and expansion of the Islamic World between 600 CE and 1300 CE.
e. Describe the impact of the Crusades on both the Islamic World and Europe
SSWH9 The student will analyze change and continuity in the Renaissance and Reformation
a. Explain the social, economic, and political changes that contributed to the rise of Florence and the ideas of Machiavelli.
b. Identify artistic and scientific achievements of Leonardo da Vinci, the “Renaissance man,” and Michelangelo.
c. Explain the main characteristics of humanism; include the ideas of Petrarch, Dante, and Erasmus.
d. Analyze the impact of the Protestant Reformation; include the ideas of Martin Luther and John Calvin.
e. Describe the Counter Reformation at the Council of Trent and the role of the Jesuits.
f. Describe the English Reformation and the role of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.
g. Explain the importance of Gutenberg and the invention of the printing press.
Student Progress Chart
Unit 5 Vocabulary
Handouts
Flipcharts
Mind Mapping Activity for the Classroom
Games and Review
Reformation Quizlet
Links
The Middle Ages
How the Black Death came to an end
Renaissance Humanism
Spread of Renaissance Humanism
Describe the major economic, social, and political developments that took place in medieval Europe.
B. the differing orders of medieval society, the development of feudalism, and the development of private property as a distinguishing feature of western civilization
C. the initial emergence of a modern economy, including the growth of banking, technological and agricultural improvements, commerce, towns, and a merchant class
D. the economic and social effects of the spread of the Black Death or Bubonic Plague
E. the growth and development of the English and French nations
For key terms, see The Ultimate Medieval Glossary.
The Middle Ages Era website traces the history and provides facts and information about life and times during the Middle Ages Era.
Learning Centers start to pop up over most of Europe. Their main concern was to educate about Christianity.
"The focus of activity was first and foremost on the preservation of Christian learning; namely, the study of the scriptures, theology, and canon law." For more on the learning centers check out this link.http://mappinghistory.uoregon.edu/english/EU/EU12-00.html
Focus Question: How did the growing influence of Christianity and the Catholic Church affect medieval society?
For more information, see Treasures of Heaven: Saints, Relics and Devotion in Medieval Europe from the Cleveland Museum, the British Museum, and the Walters Art Museum.
Focus Question: What were the differing social orders of medieval society?
Chaucer and the Canterbury Tales
Click here for The Geoffrey Chaucer Page from Harvard University that also provides interlinear translations of the Tales.
Dante
Click here to learn more about Dante. The website contains a an Italian version and two English translations of Dante's Divine Comedy.Focus Question: How did feudalism develop and what is the concept of private property?
Many contemporary historians now reject the term feudalism in favor of manoralism. For more on this view, go theInternet Medieval Sourcebook.
See also European Agrarian Society: Manoralism.
Focus Question: How did a modern economy emerge, with the growth of banking, technological and agricultural improvements, commerce, towns, and a merchant class?
Growth of banking
Technological/agricultural improvements
Towns
Commerce and the merchant class
Focus Question: What were the economic and social effects of the spread of the Black Death or Bubonic Plague?
Click on the Interactive Map to see the growing spread of the Bubonic Plague
In the article, "Black Death: The Disease", Dr. Mike Ibeji examines the various origins, variations, and protections against the Black Death.
Dr. Mike Ibeji explores the plague's devastating impact on the rural communities.
Dr. Tom James analyzes the lasting impact of the Black Death. The effects were devastating and reached into all spheres of life including agriculture, religion, econoimics, and social class.
Those who survived the death and destruction of the Black Death created a new society with more social mobility and higher wages.
Focus Question: How did the English and French nations grow and develop?
Click here to learn more on the making of modern Britain.
Click here to gain more information on the beginnings of the French Nation.
Women of The Medieval Ages
Joan of Arc, had only two years in the public eye, but is perhaps the best-known woman of the Middle Ages. Joan of Arc heard voices telling her to protect France against the English invasion. She dressed in armor and led her troops to victory in the early fifteenth century. "The Maid of Orleans" as she was known, was captured and burned at the stake at 19 years of age. Joan of Arc would eventually go on to be canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic church.
Works Cited:
"France, England, and Scandinavia" Western Civilization: The Continuing Experiment; Volume B 1300-1850 Noble Strauss et. al. Houghton Mifflin Company; Boston, 2005.
"England, France and the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453)" Western Civilization: The Continuing Experiment; Volume B 1300-1850 Noble Strauss et. al. Houghton Mifflin Company; Boston, 2005.
Religion. Retrieved February 15, 2007, from The Middle Ages Web site: http://www.learner.org/exhibits/middleages/religion.html.
Indulgences. Retrieved February 15, 2007, from Middle Ages Web site: http://demo.lutherproductions.com/historytutor/basic/medieval/genknow/indulgences.htm.
Purgatory. Retrieved February 15, 2007, from Middle Ages Web site: http://demo.lutherproductions.com/historytutor/basic/medieval/genknow/purgatory.htm.
Medieval Life: Feudalism. Retrieved February 15, 2007, from History on the Net Web site: http://www.historyonthenet.com/Medieval_Life/feudalism.htm.
Banking in the Middle Ages. Retrieved February 15, 2007, from End of Europe's Middle Ages Web site: http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/endmiddle/bluedot/banking.html.
Technology in the Middle Ages. Retrieved February 15, 2007, from History of Technology Web site: http://www.engr.sjsu.edu/pabacker/history/middle.htm.
Whippletree. Retrieved February 15, 2007, from Medieval Technology Press Web site: http://scholar.chem.nyu.edu/tekpages/whippletree.html.
Medieval Life: Towns and Villages. Retrieved February 15, 2007, from History on the Net Web site: http://www.historyonthenet.com/Medieval_Life/towns.htm.
Schooling. Retrieved February 15, 2007, from Decameron Web Web site: http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Italian_Studies/dweb/society/institutions/schooling.shtml.
The Black Death, 1348. Retrieved February 15, 2007, from Eyewitness to History Web site: http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/plague.htm.
The Black Death: Bubonic Plague. Retrieved February 15, 2007, from The Middle Ages Web site: http://www.themiddleages.net/plague.html.
1000 Years Ago. Retrieved February 15, 2007, from History of England Web site: http://www.historyofengland.net/content/view/31/0/.
Magna Carta. Retrieved February 15, 2007, from Brittania History Web site: http://www.britannia.com/history/docs/magna2.html
Exhinits Collectio--The Middle Ages. Retrieved 9 February 2011, from http://www.learner.org/interactives/middleages/.
Internect Women's History Sourcebook. Retrieved 9 February 2011, from Medieval Sourcebook's website: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/women/womensbook.html.
Chaucer's Canterbury Tales Lesson Plan. Retrieved 9 February 2011, from Edsitement's website: http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/chaucers-wife-bath#sect-objectives.
Digital Dante Project. Retrieved 9 February 2011, from the Digital Dante Project's website: http://dante.ilt.columbia.edu/new/.
The World of Dante. Retrieved 9 February 2011, from the World of Dante's website: http://www.worldofdante.org/.
Life in the Middle Ages. Retrieved 10 February 2011, from the Middle Ages Sitemap's website: http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/middle-ages-sitemap.htm.
Black Death: The Disease. Retrieved 10 February 2011, from BBC's website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/blackdisease_01.shtml.
Black Death: The Effect of the Plague. Retrieved 10 February 2011, from BBC's website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/plague_countryside_01.shtml.
Black Death: The Lasting Impact. Retrieved 10 February 2011, from BBC's website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/black_impact_01.shtml.
Black Death: Political and Social Changes. Retrieved 10 February 2011, from BBC's website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/blacksocial_01.shtml.
Paston Family Letters. Retrieved 10 February 2011, from BBC's website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/pastonletters_01.shtml.
The Middle Ages: The Making of Modern Britain. Retrieved 10 February 2011, from History World's website: http://history-world.org/midbritain.htm.
The Middle Ages: The Beginnings of the Frenach Nation. Retrieved 10 February 2011, from History World's website: http://history-world.org/midfrench_nation.htm.
New images from wikimedia commons.